Naku is an indigenous organization created by the Sapara people of the Ecuadorian Amazon that serves to protect, preserve, and share the ancient wisdom of the Sapara. NAKU Clinic, located deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, is a non-profit healing center founded by the Sapara people, dedicated to the research and practice of indigenous Amazonian medicine. 

The Sapara have lived in what is now the Ecuadorian Amazon for millennia. During that time, they have developed an inseparable relationship with the land, harnessing the power of medicinal plants to cure illness.

Right now however, the destruction of the rainforest by resource exploitation has endangered the Sapara and their medicinal wisdom so that now only 500 Sapara remain. Though their population is dwindling, their territory is vast and a critical part of the Amazonian ecosystem. In response to the many threats they face, the Sapara established NAKU to preserve and share their vast knowledge of medicinal plants with the rest of the world before it is lost.

The Sapara understand that both human illness and the mounting degradation of our environment are inextricably linked, sharing the same root cause. By assisting the community with the designing and construction of NAKU, we as VIVA are joining the Sapara people in their efforts to protect pristine rainforest essential to the vitality of our planet, the front lines of the fight against climate change.

Kapawi Ecolodge is an award-winning community ecotourism enterprise in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador that offers conscious and responsible travelers the opportunity to engage in unique and authentic cultural experiences in an unspoiled natural setting, while directly supporting the sustainable development of the Achuar indigenous nation.  

Kapawi Ecolodge is located in southeastern Ecuador, in a region of lowland Amazon Rainforest characterized by meandering rivers like the Pastaza, Capahuari, and Kusutkau rivers, and primary rainforest, including seasonal flooded forest and dry ground (known as terra firma).

Kapawi Ecolodge was built in 1996 following ecotourism principles, inspired by the natural history of the area, including its indigenous cultures, whose areas have been adapted for this activity in a spirit of appreciation, participation, and responsibility. When it opened in 1996, Kapawi Ecolodge set the standards for community ecotourism in Ecuador, promoting practices that protected wildlife, generated local employment and empowered local communities. Kapawi Ecolodge was built respecting Achuar construction styles and using building materials from the forest.

Energy is generated 100% from solar photovoltaic panels, while local building materials are still used to preserve the Achuar style as passive structures, with no need for conditioning and optimal thermal comfort.  There have been many lessons learned, including the development of community capacities and talent and also initiatives to ensure that local materials, like leaves for the roofs, are farmed in the local communities to reduce the pressure on natural resources from the forest.

Carlota, a 1900s French-style home located just blocks from Quito’s main landmarks, was created as an urban lifestyle design experience to fully immerse guests in the treasures of a UNESCO World Heritage city. An intimate 12-room family-run hotel, Carlota was VIVA Arquitectura’s first historic rehabilitation project. 

In 2019, Carlota was awarded LEED Gold certification for its environmental strategies and reduced impact on the surroundings. Housed in a renovated early 20th-century building, Carlota has seamlessly transformed from a private residence to a meeting point for local creatives.

The building maintains its original two levels, with an elevated terrace added to the terrace level. Accessible via a modern steel staircase connecting the terrace and wine cellar, the terrace offers unobstructed 360-degree views of the historic district. The reclaimed interior courtyard serves as an open reception/lobby area, creating a visual connection from the hotel’s main entrance to the backyard, which features a well-preserved stone staircase and a beautiful plant backdrop inspired by Quito’s traditional Spanish gardens.

Carlota’s interior design complements a subtle architectural intervention, with geometric patterns and color palettes unique to each room, creating a modern ambiance within a historic setting.

Located along the majestic Pacific Ocean in the biodiverse area of San Vicente, La Calma emerges as an architectural project that combines relaxation, livability, entertainment, and sustainability in a single space. This haven offers an integrated experience of rest and connection with nature, in a region where ecological richness invites guests to enjoy a serene, privileged environment.

The complex includes five long-stay houses, ideal for those seeking an extended immersive experience in tranquility, and fifteen double lodging units, designed for shorter stays without sacrificing comfort and well-being. Each space is carefully designed to offer a harmonious stay, allowing guests to enjoy the calm of the sea and the comfort provided by a forward-thinking architecture focused on sustainability.

La Calma incorporates sustainable design principles in every aspect, from material selection to efficient use of natural resources. With systems for solar energy use and rainwater harvesting, as well as bioclimatic architecture that optimizes natural light and ventilation, this project minimizes its environmental impact while offering unparalleled comfort.

This project is not only a place of rest but a space committed to the surrounding environment and local community, creating synergy between human comfort and respect for the natural surroundings.

Eolia is an exclusive hotel project located along a tropical watershed in Santa Marianita, Ecuador. It includes a main building with 4 rooms, common and service areas, and 4 individual bungalows located along the natural landscape.

The site had particular qualities such as the existing ecosystem and topography, which provide the local flora and fauna with a connection and passage between the tropical dry forest and the Pacific Ocean. Eolia was built to preserve and maintain this watershed that collects rainwater and serves the dry forest ecosystem above. The topography and natural waterways defined where structures should be placed to maintain the existing conditions for a positive impact, ecosystem preservation, tourism development, and at the same time generating income and employment opportunities for the local community.

Eolia responds by adjusting its form to reduce heat gain by making the most of existing wind and soil conditions, using native flora to generate a chimney effect and ventilate spaces naturally, without any need for air conditioning to maintain the comfort conditions of its users.

Eolia also pursues a positive water cycle design, reducing water demand, maintaining local flora and natural landscaping to reduce irrigation, and taking advantage of wastewater, recovering, treating and recycling it for reuse. The materials selected for the construction of the envelope and finishes were selected and specified from local production and availability for their low carbon footprint and resilience. Eolia is in the process of LEED certification.

EOLIA RESIDENCES is located in a basin that connects the rainforest and the Pacific Ocean and manages rainwater for the surrounding area, maintaining the natural passage of water to the ocean, creating a lush green corridor comprised of semi-deciduous and deciduous forest. The basin is home to diverse wildlife, from sea turtles to various reptiles and over 175 species of birds.Eolia was carefully designed to feel like a private seaside retreat, with stunning views of the ocean and natural surroundings and a connection to the local environment.

The architectural language, materials and construction methods create passive and pleasant spaces that do not require resources to provide comfort but rather take advantage of the natural conditions of the site.The form and position of the villas respond to the solar path, the direction of the wind on the site and the views, combined with the most efficient design to achieve structural strength while reducing the use of materials.

The architecture is based on simple luxury, with the least amount of use of raw materials and finishes that expose the rigins and construction processes. Bamboo creates screens that provide privacy in the spaces while allowing air and light to filter through. 

Materials such as modular wall panels were selected for their resistance to site conditions, ease of maintenance and lower embodied energy and carbon. Eolia Residences is in the proccess of obtaining LEED certification.

Casa Galapagos is a compact house completed in 2019, it was designed to take advantage of local weather conditions and environment and with minimum and efficient use of resources such as energy, water and materials. The house is lifted from the ground to reduce its impact on the natural soil and habitat and to allow for local fauna to move freely across the site. 

This also allows for adequate ventilation and heat dissipation, making the house cooler and cuts humidity levels in the walls and materials.  The roof of the house was designed based on an origami structure with 4 portions folded in different direction that allow for all rain water to be collected and re-used on site.  

Materials and furnishings have been designed to take advantage of local resources and designed for hand manufacturing by local craftsmen.  The house includes an on-site solar energy production system taking advantage of solar radiation.  With this project we want to demonstrate that adequate environmental design can provide the best living conditions in the minimum space possible for a family and with the lowest impact possible.

Zattere is a mixed-use high-rise project designed for a plot in the city of Quito. The project included apartments and office spaces in one L shaped tower, with two foyers/lobbies and circulation cores.  The location of the offices and apartments respond to the orientation of the building and the possibility to achieve better conditions for thermal comfort depending on the space use.  In this case, all office spaces are located to the east facing facade, so that offices can have adequate temperature and low glare during operation hours from 9am to 5pm.  

For additional glare control, the office spaces include vertical fins that help reduce glare and control radiation on the window surfaces.  On the other hand, apartments are placed on the west facing side of the building so that they can receive sunlight and radiation throughout the afternoon, so that the spaces have adequate indoor temperature for nighttime when the temperatures in Quito drop. The circulation cores are designed to work as ventilation chimneys through stack-effect, to induce air renovation throughout the building and maintain thermal comfort.  

This project was designed to take advantage of local weather conditions and environment and with minimum and efficient use of resources such as energy, water and materials. The office side includes an elevated garden microclimate to re-introduce Quito native flora and fauna to a high-density urban area and increase the ecological value of the surroundings while providing an open environment for users and visitors.